episode_0028

The afternoon classes passed by uneventfully.

Then came the club activities that followed.

It was a routine of daily life, flowing like water, but today’s routine was somewhat different from usual.

“······Your Highness.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Why have you followed me here?”

Labilaa had come to the club room where Tia and I usually quietly read books together. That was the reason for her question.

Labilaa seemed to wear an expression as if my words were nonsense.

“Followed you? I’ve rightfully applied and joined this club as a student of the academy.”

“Tia, senior.”

“Yes, I was also quite surprised at first. I never expected Princess Labilaa to join our club.”

Tia nodded to confirm the truth of Labilaa’s words.

“···.”

“The club president asked us to bring a specific book to read before we start. Is there any other issue?”

Labilaa shook a book, presumably borrowed from the library right after the afternoon class, in front of my eyes.

Hmm.

It’s so unbelievable that it leaves one speechless.

I don’t know who noticed it first, but it was a very relatable fact.

Speechless.

I just can’t find the words because this situation is so unbelievable.

Seemingly reading my expression, Labilaa glanced at me with a slightly furrowed brow.

“You’re the only new member, yet your expression is so dark. Does the club president, Lianne Trice, always make that kind of face?”

“I don’t usually make cheerful expressions, but it does seem worse than usual today.”

“As the club president, I’ll ask for a sharp word.”

“Alright. Lianne, junior?”

Tia, upon hearing Labilaa’s proposal, smiled widely as if something good had happened.

“···.”

“Lianne, junior?”

Caught in a trap where refusal was practically impossible, I could only weakly respond.

“······Yes.”

“You’re a bit slow with your response today. Even though I’m a lenient senior, I am still the club president, after all.”

“···.”

Anyway, that’s not important. Can you tell me why your expression is so bad right now, senior?

That was Tinea Trisyon’s way of speaking.

Extremely polite, but more than anything, it was a way of speaking that delved into the essence.

It wasn’t blaming oneself directly for the reason, but a way of inducing the other person to state the reason themselves.

When I saw Damian experiencing this in the original work, it was amusing.

But coming into Tinea’s club and experiencing it firsthand, it was the most difficult way of speaking to adapt to.

“…I’m sorry, Your Highness. I didn’t manage my expression well.”

“I accept your apology.”

Labilaa nodded slightly with a slightly annoyed expression.

“Alright. It seems like today, as the club president, I’ve maintained the peace of the club.”

Tinea made a genuinely happy expression as if she was delighted.

It was truly a fantastic combination.

Could there be a combination that would drive the person next to them crazy more than this?

‘…I doubt it.’

There probably wasn’t one.

In the original work, fans loved their chemistry, as they always laughed and smiled together.

It was a disappointing scene when Tinea’s episodes didn’t include her, and it was very touching to see only the protagonist Damian dying in between them.

“…”

And for anyone who knows how their relationship changes afterward, it was even more astonishing.

As someone who knew their future precisely, it was incredibly fascinating.

It had been a long time since I deviated from the original work.

Labilaa and Tinea’s first meeting wasn’t supposed to happen this quickly.

After the midterms.

Following the final exams.

Originally, Labilaa, who would have developed an interest in Damian by then, would have met Tinea, Damian’s club senior, at least two months later.

Roughly thinking, at least 2 months earlier than their actual first meeting.

‘…Because of me.’

And it was because of me.

The current me had caused the change in the original work.

As I mentioned before, I was just amazed by this.

That it had changed.

I found it fascinating how the original content of the webnovel changed due to a person named Nara. Of course, I didn’t harbor any fear about it. There was no fear of an unknown future creeping in. If there was any fear at all, it was merely that. It was only natural, considering I hadn’t lived so diligently in the past. Such efforts were all acts of altering the original, to not follow the predetermined future. It was all just giving up, exhausted by the unchanging reality, due to receiving a terminal diagnosis from the hospital, at most a year to live. It wasn’t a predetermined ending, but rather despair at a conclusion not significantly different from the original, which led to giving up. “By the way, Your Highness, didn’t you originally have a club?” “Come to think of it, you’re right. How did you come here when you were originally in the student council?” Having given up like this, I couldn’t feel any fear now about the changes in the original. Labilaa, who received both of their inquiries at once, spoke confidently as if to say not to worry. “There’s no need to worry. You must already know that it’s not a problem for students to join multiple clubs.” “Hmm, but didn’t Your Highness have responsibilities in the student council? What happens to those duties?” “Those are all already finished, of course. I was able to join here because I finished my assigned tasks faster than anyone else.” “Ohh…” Tania looked at Labilaa with an admiring expression. I sighed deeply as the answer I expected came out exactly as I had anticipated from the question I threw out just in case. It seems it won’t work. I guess I just have to accept it. In fact, upon a little reflection, it was clear that Labilaa’s joining didn’t pose any harm to the club. It was already a club at risk of closure with only two members. And now, with a new club member, especially a princess who had just entered the academy and attracted everyone’s attention, the immediate risk of closure had disappeared.

Labilaa’s name value has made it unlikely for the club to be disbanded in the future. It was the club chosen by the royal blood that entered the academy for the first time. There would be no benefit in abolishing such a club for the academy.

“······Sigh.”

However, it was increasingly becoming entangled in various incidents, causing nothing but a headache. Elena couldn’t understand it at all. Labilaa suddenly started taking an interest in me. ‘······Why did I do that earlier?’ I’ve already become too involved with Elise. Regret came too late. Is there a word more accurate than regret to describe what I’m doing right now? It was literally regret. Doing something that didn’t need to be done and regretting it later. Something felt strange. Judgment, thought. No, everything, including myself, felt strange. It was before receiving the death sentence. If the situation from earlier had happened before I received the death sentence, would I have acted the same as before? Probably not. Captivated by the thought of changing my current image, I clearly wouldn’t have even thought about getting up. Because I received the death sentence. It was an action committed knowing that my fate had already been decided. “······Sigh.” “I told you, senior, that sighing is prohibited.” “······I’m sorry.” Even though I knew this fact, I still didn’t understand. Labilaa, who was unaware of my troubled mind, spoke with a calm expression. “It’s enough to make you sigh. The situation from earlier was slightly surprising for me too.” “Earlier? Did something happen with Rian during today’s class?” “If it’s surprising, it’s surprising, and if it’s amazing, it’s amazing. But I won’t tell the club president.” “······Why not?” Tania, who had a very curious expression, froze after hearing Labilaa’s subsequent words. Labilaa smiled as if finding Tania’s reaction amusing and continued speaking. “The club president is a senior in the third year. It’s probably better not to know what happened during the second-year class time.”

“······I am the president of Princess Hwang’s and Rian’s club, you know?”

“So, there’s no need to know more. The club president must have their own secrets as well.”

“···.”

“So for now, it’s best to think of this as just covering up the club members’ secret for a while and moving on.”

Tinia looked incredulous.

I, who heard those words together, also had an incredulous expression.

All of a sudden, now?

After having fun until just now, she’s going to protect our secret now?

Giving both the disease and the cure.

It was an old saying that always wins one more time.

“What do you think about this? Perhaps I can help you out.”

“······Yes?”

Labilaa, who was looking straight at me all of a sudden, made me an offer.

“I will personally help you do well on your midterms.”

“···.”

“And in exchange for my help, you’ll tell me one thing I’m curious about.”

The intention was so clear, but it wasn’t an easy offer to refuse.

It was an offer thrown at me by Labilaa von Phellias, the princess of the empire.